Keeping in mind that western Uttar Pradesh has vast tracts of agricultural land all political parties played the pro-poor and pro-farmers card and reiterated promise of waiving loans of small and marginal farmers and paying the dues of sugarcane growers after being elected to power.
BSP chief Mayawati, who never made poll promises earlier, went ahead to assure waiver of `1 lakh of loan to farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Amit Shah championed the cause of the saffron party during the campaigning that ended on February 13 for the 67 constituencies in this region that is going to poll in the second phase of the seven-phase Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh on February 15.
The SP-Congress alliance charge spearheaded by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, besides other leaders of the respective parties also raised issued, trying their best to convince the voters that the return of the Akhilesh Governmnet would lead the State to prosperity further.
Mayawati wooed the voters addressing one rally after another all by herself, with senior party leader SC Misra chipping in at certain places.
Both Modi and Shah slammed the Congress and the SP. They said Rahul earlier ran a campaign against the SP Government and wondered what change of heart made them embrace each other now.
The PM even took a jibe claiming that Rahul has maximum jokes on him on Google. Also, Modi hit Akhilesh over his campaign “kaam bolta hai” (works speak) and said goons will be sent to jail once BJP comes to power.
Akhilesh and Rahul harped on demonetisation, alleging that Modi’s note ban decision caused immense hardship to those living in the rural areas. They even took a jibe over “Man ki baat” asking when PM will do “kaam ki baat”. Rahul even reacted to Modi’s jibe claiming that Modi spend no time for PM’s work instead he like to search on Google or peep into other bathroom.
On the other hand, in her rallies, Mayawati went all out against the SP, alleging that the Akhilesh Government had let loose a “reign of terror” in Uttar Pradesh with hooligans committing “utmost atrocities” against women. The BSP supremo also accused the Modi Government of “interfering” with the Personal law of Muslims and ending reservations for backward communities in jobs and promised to extend quota benefits to the poor among the upper castes.
Her refrain was that if Muslims wanted to defeat the BJP, they should not waste their votes by backing the SP-Congress alliance.
Interestingly, to distance herself from BJP in fear of losing Muslim vote bank, Mayawati on eve of second phase polls claimed that is case her party failed to get majority, then she will prefer to sit in the Opposition. Muslim could play a deciding factor as in many constituencies they have up to 40 per cent of total vote bank.
The Rashtriya lok Dal (RlD) will also play an important role in this phase.